Climate Recovery Summary

In 2010, Eugene created the Community Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP), joining a growing list of forward-thinking cities around the world that are addressing climate change and energy challenges by planning with vision and creativity. The CEAP is unique because it addresses three separate, related goals: reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, reducing community-wide fossil fuel use, and identifying strategies to help the community adapt to future changes.

The Climate Recovery Ordinance (CRO) adopted in 2014 and updated in 2016, is our community’s next step toward fulfilling these efforts. We are planning to update the CEAP in 2017.

The Climate Recovery Ordinance sets a goal for the City of Eugene’s operations to be carbon neutral by 2020, meaning no net release of CO2. Our climate action goals, like those of many cities, focus on reducing carbon pollution relative to historic levels. These goals are important but the best science is now telling us that these aren’t enough, that we need to reduce carbon pollution to a safer level, at or below 350 parts per million in the atmosphere, a goal we are calling 350 by 2050.

As required by the Climate Recovery Ordinance, staff is currently developing a proposal for a new 350 ppm goal for Eugene. The proposal will be presented to City Council for their consideration.

In 2016, the City Council updated the CRO to set the goal of reducing community fossil fuel use by 50 percent from 2010 levels by the year 2030. Eugene is on a path to reach this goal.

As is the case in many cities, our climate action goals focus on reducing carbon pollution relative to historic levels. Included in the 2016 CRO updates, is a new scientifically based goal of reaching Eugene’s average annual emissions consistent with a 350ppm atmospheric carbon level by 2100.